Rep. Dauphinais Tours Construction of The Mill at Killingly Apartments

Posted on February 5, 2018 by jpheasant

HARTFORD – State Representative Anne Dauphinais (R-44) sat down with those involved in the ongoing construction project taking place at the former Old Mill for an in-depth and informative discussion.

Over the past several months, many residents have voiced their concerns about the project and the possibility of questionable activity and people who might linger around the facility.

Once completed, The Mill at Killingly Apartments will provide 32 affordable, supportive, and market rate housing units through United Services Inc. The building will be broken down into 28 one-bedroom and 4 two-bedroom units with a shared laundry facility. Of the 32 units, 4 will be designated for veterans.

The Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development screens all applicants in order to make sure they qualify. In order to be considered, applicants must be homeless or imminently homeless, meet a defined set of income requirements. Once accepted, United Services will work to organize and bring in all of the services each individual will then need.

“I’d like to thank Diane and Tucker for providing me with an extensive overview of the grounds and information on the types of people this new facility will help serve and the programs that will be provided to them,” Rep. Dauphinais said.

Diane Manning, President/CEO of United Services, said that the average residency can be a couple of years and once accepted you aren’t forced to move out. Residents’ rooms are subject to normal monthly inspections, but can also be inspected at any time if there is reason to believe rules are being broken. The Women’s Institute imposes a strict set of rules and guidelines that all residents must follow. If any of those rules are broken residents can be evicted. It is expected that a minimum 40% of residents will be working at least part-time.

According to Manning, the goal is to make those living in this facility more economically stable. Manning said that supportive housing makes a neighborhood better not worse and cited Brick Row Apartments in Willimantic as the model of success The Mill will aim to replicate.

Completion of the project is expected by the end of July 2018 and the facility is expected to take on the look of the former Powdrell & Alexander Mill it replaced.

Tucker Foley, Superintendent for Enfield Builders, shows the proposed layout to The Mill at Killingly Apartments to State Representative Anne Dauphinais. The 35,000 square foot project is expected to be completed by late July.